That Summer
by Setalina Muro
Summary: AU: PegasusxOlderCyndiaCecelia My parents sent me to work for her to teach me a lesson and learn the value of hard work. I learned so much more than they ever would have guessed… one shot R&R REPOSTED stripped of lyrics grrr...


**That Summer**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** AU: PegasusxOlderCyndia(Cecelia) My parents sent me to work for her to teach me a lesson and learn the value of hard work. I learned so much more than they ever would have guessed… one shot R&R REPOSTED stripped of lyrics

**A/N:** Yes, this has been reposted twice now. This time it has been stripped of any lyrics I previously used to make the story make sense. I'm back with another one-shot. I was sitting in my mom's car listening to the radio when the song came on and it just screamed "PEGASUS!" So here I am. Hope you like. This is first person POV. Pegasus's POV.

A trail of dust blazed behind our long car as it followed the twisting dirt road and up a hill. It was the peak of summer, and the sun blazed down heavily bathing the earth in radiant light. A light breeze, so often associated with the season, rippled across the fields, bending the plants at their stocks. I gazed out the window absently, paying no attention to the other occupants of the vehicle, a silent old man with a bushy grey beard and a hysterical woman, loud and obnoxious, going on about worldly hardships and my lack of a plan for such things.

Slowly the car pulled to a stop by a turnoff leading up to a fading blue house and my future. The quiet air was disturbed as the door opened forcefully. A woman's voice, high and angry wracked the air.

"You're getting out and that's final," my mother hissed at me, shoving me from the back of the limo, where I landed, quite roughly might I add, on the hard, dusty ground. "You're going to learn a lesson, Pegasus, and Cyndia-san is the one to teach you."

I watched with contempt as she threw my bags from the car and slammed the door in my face. _'You want to be that way, FINE!'_ I thought, mentally cursing the woman who bore me seventeen years previous.

I grabbed my bag and brushed the dirt off my brown pants as the car peeled away, taking her and her preaching with it. Heading for the house (a distance that turned out to be about two miles through a large field of wheat) and grumbling loudly I began to walk.

"_Oh, terrible Lord no_!" I said, mocking the high pitch my mother got in her voice when she was angry. "_You want to be a what? I cannot allow that. I must go make phone calls and make your life hell so I can feel in control…_" I rolled my eyes and laughed bitterly, knowing that that was exactly what she sounded like when she sent me to this God-forsaken dirt pile.

A cold kind of womanly laughter reached my ears and I turned to see a mass of blonde hair moving toward me. My mouth fell open. What was such a beautiful woman doing here?

"Hello," she said, walking up to me, dusting her hands off as she came closer. She ran one of her hands under my chin, and with a sudden force snapped it shut. "Didn't your mother teach you manners? Or were you too busy mocking her to listen?"

"E-excuse me, Ma'am," I said, blinking at her bluntness. "My name is—"

"Crawford, I presume," she interrupted, brushing me away with a wave of her hand and turning. "Pegasus Crawford."

Well, if she wanted to play hardball, we'd play hardball. "Pegasus _J._ Crawford, if you don't mind," I said, flashing her a honey-coated grin.

Her delicate shoulders moved upward in a shrugging motion as she began walking down the path toward the house. I followed her as quickly as I could, but at her brisk pace, I was huffing almost instantly.

It surprised me how young she was, after all she had been widowed at least five years, but she didn't look any older than twenty-five. (She was in fact twenty-four). She had long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. I, at seventeen was having raging male hormone issues, and was trying hard not to stare at her ass as we jogged back to the house.

I collapsed on the porch when we reached the two-story farmhouse. The paint was fading from the once blue siding, as I had noticed from a distance.

"Come on," she said, nudging me with her foot. "You're going to have work to do while you're here or you can sleep on the hill under the willow tree."

I groaned as I sat up. She reached down and offered me her hand.

"You're a city-boy, born and bred, but you can't get away with being lazy here. I won't let you." Her eyes were softly mocking me, dancing in a pool of blue.

"Well, _Ma'am_," I shot back, not about to let her get the last word. "If I may say so, you certainly talk like a city-dweller yourself. I'm sure you've had to deal with some streak of laziness at one point or another."

She laughed as I took her hand and pulled myself up. "Touché. A proper call. I wasn't born on a farm, Pegasus-san. You're here because our families are friends. I'm from your class of society. I just like this better. It's…a lot nicer and somewhat quieter…" she looked up at the blue sky sighing contentedly, than shot me a glance from the corner of her eye. "Or it was."

I grinned. "Oh," I said. "I see. Well, if it's not to loud on my part, may I inquire your name?"

"My name is Cyndia." She smiled. "Would you like some cornbread, Pegasus-san?" She moved toward a door and into a kitchen.

That was when it all began.

She worked with me everyday after, teaching me what she needed to run her farm and help her. We joked a lot, laughed often, and ate meals together in beautiful silences or pleasant conversation.

Later in the week, I repainted the house, a deep royal blue. It matched her eyes. She just laughed when I told her that…

It had been about a month since I had come to her farm and I was sitting in the room she had loaned me. I had set up my easel and was stroking through several colors as I watched the sun set. There was just something about the light of sunlight on the wheat that was eye catching.

There was a knock at the door and I turned, sweeping a lock of silver hair from my face. I hated the way it always fell in front of my left eye. "Come in," I said, setting down the paintbrush.

The door opened a crack. "Am I disturbing you, Pegasus-san?"

I smiled, recognizing Cyndia's voice. "No. No, of course not. Do come in."

As the door opened wider, creaking on its aged hinges, I turned back to my painting, not wanting to loose the light. I caught the scent of coffee, perhaps sitting outside the door. There was a small click of heels as she approached.

'_Cydia's never worn heels…'_ I paused for a moment, but the thought dismissed itself when she leaned down, her hands on my shoulders. She was silent for a moment and seemed to be looking over my work.

"I didn't know you painted this well, Pegasus-san," Cyndia said, her warm breath passing down my neck.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at her. I could smell…perfume…It was strange for Cyndia. There was also a warm, musty scent. I turned in my seat and looked at her.

She was smiling warmly at me as I looked at her curiously. She was wearing something that surprised me. I had only ever seen her in her work clothes before, but now she was in a pale blue dress. The edges were traced in pale white lace and the fabric itself was smooth and soft. A small pink bow tied the tall collar at her neck.

"Cyndia," I said. "You look lovely. What's the occasion?"

She shook her head. "No occasion. I just…felt like dressing up a little. Coffee?"

I reached tentatively for one of the cups she had brought in on a tray. "Cyndia-chan, are you sure you're feeling alright?" The way she was staring at me with those crystal blue eyes was…arousing…I felt my gut clench.

There was a strangely soft smile on her face. "Pegasus-kun," she said. "I've never felt better."

She reached for my hand. "Come with me, Pegasus…"she whispered.

"Uhhh…okay," I answered, my mind wondering at her. I set the cup down on the tray.

She took my hand and led me out the door. I noticed how rough her hands were, weathered from farm work. She took me down the stairs and outside, her pacing quickening when we hit the field, and we were nearly sprinting as she pulled me through the first set of stalks. I wondered where we were going when she began to tread further in the wheat.

We reached a slope and trekked up it. Both of us were out of breath when we reached it. Cyndia leaned against the willow tree at the top of the hill. She smiled at me, light resonating from her eyes. She grabbed my other hand and pulled both of them to her waist.

"Cyndia…"I whispered.

"Shhh…" she answered. "Don't talk. Just kiss me…"

I paused uncomfortably. "Cyndia…wha—"

She placed a hand over my mouth. "Pegasus…" she breathed in my ear as she leaned closer. Her hand moved from my lips to brush aside my hair. The flesh of her hand ran down the side of my face, sending a shiver down my spine.

Another shock hit me as she pressed herself close and kissed me softly. I gasped and pulled away, staring at her. "I-I can't do this…" I was forcing my breathing in and out. I tried to back up, but Cyndia didn't let go.

"Don't leave me," she whispered, gazing at me with pleading eyes.

I licked my lips. "I…Cyndia, I've-I've never _been_…never done…"

She squeezed my hand. "Don't worry, Love," she breathed. "It doesn't matter. I just want to be with you."

She traced a finger down my chest and rested her hand on my hip.

"Breath," she said, kissing me again, with more passion.

I suddenly pulled away, cupping her face in my hands, staring like I had never seen a woman before.

"What is it now?" she whispered impatiently.

"I just realized something," I said, not taking my eyes off her. "I think I love you."

This time, I began the kiss, my hands roving her body. I moved toward the ground, pulling Cyndia with me as we toppled into the grass.

I fumbled for the zipper to her dress as she unbuttoned my shirt with deft fingers. Her eyes had clouded over and darkened, her breathing became shallow as she struggled to remove the dress, and soon nothing separated us…

The memory played through my head again today; every touch, every sound, every feeling; still clear as the night it happened. Perhaps I would visit her this evening…would she think it a disturbance, though?

"Pegasus-sama, are you even listening?"

"Gomen, gomen," I said, shaking my head. "No, I'm just not concentrating today. I apologies we'll have this rescheduled, shall we?"

I stood and walked out of the room, ignoring the indignation of my associate. Yes, I would go visit Cyndia tonight…the ten year anniversary of the night she first loved me…

I drove out by myself; images of her creamy skin from that night attacked my mind. I stopped fighting it and let them all come flooding back.

I walked down the lane where I had first met her. Avoiding the house for the time being, I cut through the field, remember how my heart had raced as she took my hand that night.

My pace quickened to a slow jog until I reached the base of our hill. I climbed it slowly, dreading the time when I would reach the top. This time I knew I would be alone.

I hit my knees a few feet away from the willow tree and bowed my head respectfully as I looked upon the grave of my beloved.

The name 'Cyndia Crawford' was etched on the stone tablet, as well as 'Loving wife…loving mother…'

Four years ago, I planted wheat at her feet. It was the first time in a year I had been able to bring myself to visit her. Three years ago, I mixed them with roses, blue roses. You'd have thought they'd have killed each other, but they didn't.

After a month, as they became more tolerant of each other, they began to breed. The mix produced a small flower; the stem was a dark brown and the flower a pale blue outline in gold. I took the seedlings out and planted them next to Cyndia.

I called the highbred, 'Amaline,' because that's at whose feet the flowers now rest, for you see, Cyndia died giving birth to our first child after our third year of marriage. I loved her to the end and nothing could ever replace the time we spent together that summer…

**-Authoress Notes—**

Hope you liked it, despite the revision and altered ending! Please R&R.

Thanks to Stormrose and Maken for helping me out with the rating! Thanks to Stormrose for reviewing the first time I put this up. Stormrose again for reviewing after the first revision and just for fun I'll thank her for reviewing after this revision, 'cause she's just such a cool person. Also thanks to SpiritPuppyLuvrs, Scarab Dynasty, and MikariStar, for reviewing. I believe that versions of the other planned fictions (mentioned below).

Also, if you like this, keep a look out for some more one-shots (previously planned songfics) of this pairing, also by Garth Brooks. 'Beaches of Cheyenne' and 'Thunder Rolls'.

Plus, I just started a C2 community for this pairing. (I, myself, was shocked that out of the 244 communities, there was _no_ group for this pairing.) If you would like to be a staff member, please contact me by email, using 'Your Penname' and 'FFN' as the subject.

Another note (direct from my profile update page) I'd like to thank the people who reviewed to them and extend a bit of a retreat from these cursed rules and strict people (with sticks up their asses by the way), and start up a domain for songfics. When I can get it up and running, I'll email some people to help me run it. If you're interested, please email me (using your penname and FFN for the subject) and we'll talk. This may take a while though, do to a varying schedule (once again ruled by people with sticks up their butts), but I will get it done. I'd really appreciate some support. Also, if you know of any free domains other than 'Proboards' I would be pleased to take a look at them. Thanks again!


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